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Important Toddler Milestones

Important Toddler Milestones

The first three years of a child’s life are an exciting time full of rapid change. Gross motor, fine motor, social, and language skills all develop, marking different milestones in your child’s life. "Milestones are only guidelines, however, and each child is different," says Melissa Parsons, MD, a pediatrician at the Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus. "It is important not to place too much emphasis on comparing one child to another. Your child may meet milestones a little earlier or later.”

Crawling and Scribbling at 12 Months

At 12 months, most toddlers have tripled their birth weight and are pulling themselves up to stand. Crawling around the house is no problem and they may be able to walk with some help. Toddlers’ development milestones at 12 months include banging two blocks together and being able to sit without help. "In terms of fine motor skills, most 1-year-olds can scribble with a crayon. Important social milestones include pointing with a finger to indicate wants," says Dr. Parsons.

Walking Alone at 15 Months

"Important milestones in toddler development at 15 months include walking without help, playing interactive games like patty-cake, and rolling a ball back and forth," notes Parsons. Other toddler development milestones may include sitting down from a standing position, squatting, and pushing or pulling toys around the house. At this age toddlers may wave goodbye, turn pages in a book, and be able to stack several blocks. Some toddlers may be able to bend over and pick a toy up without losing their balance.

Running at 18 Months

"As a general rule most children are running by 18 months. Social milestones include being able to imitate the activities of parents and siblings," says Parsons. Running may still be clumsy, and they can still fall down frequently. Toddler development at this stage includes some control of potty functions, but they may not be ready psychologically for potting training yet. Other milestones may include walking up stairs while holding on.

Kicking and Potty Training at 24 Months

"Most children are coordinated enough on their feet to kick a ball by age 2," says Parsons. Walking should be no problem now and toddlers should be running with more control. Your child may be able to open doorknobs and start to take off some of their own clothes. This is the age when most children are ready to start potty training. At age 2 your child has grown to approximately half of their future adult height.

Jumping at 30 Months

"At age 2 ½, most children can jump. In terms of fine motor skills, most 2- to 3-year-olds can copy a vertical line," notes Parsons. Other toddler developments to look for between ages 2 and 3 include continued potty training with some accidents, initial adventures on a tricycle, being able to squat and boost, and getting dressed with some help. You can also start to expect some temper tantrums and to hear the word "no" frequently.

Coordination at 36 Months

"A toddler may throw a ball overhand after age 3, and most 3-year-olds can draw a circle," says Parsons. By age 3, your toddler has much better balance and has all 20 primary teeth. Potty training should be well along. The tricycle should be no problem now and getting up and down stairs with alternating feet is to be expected. Your 3-year-old should now be able to help you with simple chores around your home.

Language for Toddlers

"Language milestones can be quite disparate among individual kids, but we look for three words by 15 months and two-word sentences by age 2. These are sentences like 'me go,' 'more milk,' or 'me up.' Most speech should be about 50 percent understandable by age 2. Most children should be able to follow a one-part command by age 15 months, a two-part command by age 18 months, and name a few pictures by age 3," explains Parsons. By the age of 3, your child should have a vocabulary of several hundred words.

The Truth About Toddler Development

Toddler milestones are an important measurement of your child's physical and mental development. Remember that reaching a milestone early on or later on is not an indication of future brilliance or future problems. The most important thing is to see steady progress. Children who were born premature may reach milestones a little later, and some children may go through periods of regression for emotional reasons. "If you are concerned about your child's development, discuss it with your pediatrician, and most times, they will be able to reassure you," advises Parsons.

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